Ghost
Finding fun spooky games to play that won’t scare the pants of little guys is not always a simple task . This game is simple, spooky but not at all frightening. As I was making it I wasn’t so sure of how we’d play but the rules evolved and we’ve been playing it all weekend . The giggles were epic and the only screams were when I forgot the spiders are fake and walked into the living room and saw them on the floor. This activity works on balance , problem solving and can be adapted for various levels.
- Gather your materials. You will need some painters tape, plastic spiders, a prize for the end like a glow stick and if the simple version ( explained below) is too easy have some other obstacles like these ghosts ready to make it a challenge.
- Start by making a web with tape on your floor. You can do a full web or if like me space is limited just do a half.
- Make an obvious start and finish. We call our finish home base.
- Add some spiders around the web and the prize ( glowstick) in the center. After the first go I let my son scatter the spiders himself.
- Time to play.
So the object of this web walking game is to stay on the web andpick up all the spiders then the prize ( glowstick) without falling off the web . Now this can be made very difficult by requiring tippy toes or much easier by only counting a fall onto the floor as a true fall. For us he was out and had to start again if he took a step off the tape. 
- It was not a big enough challenge so we added ghosts! He could step over them but if his foot touched one he was out. Another way to make it much more of a challenge for older kids is to turn it into a timed challenge with a stop watch.
- When he did step off I’d make a cackling witchy laugh and proclaim ” You fell into the goo, ew, ew, ew ! ” He’d laugh and start again
Spooky … a little but definately not scary! I think this game will be coming out every October for years to come.
Song
You may know the song ” One Elephant” This is a Halloween version that fits this activity perfectly. In my class I used to sing this with me starting at one side of the circle time rug calling each child over. My assistant teacher would be last. I have had so many requests for songs, I couldn’t ignore this perfect match of song and activity.
One little ghost went out to play upon a spider’s web one day
He had such enormous fun that he called for another little ghost to come.
Two little ghosts went out to play upon a spider’s web one day
They had such enourmous fun that they called for another little ghost to come.
and so on and so on…
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When I was going through past posts for my Letter B Theme post last week I saw my frozen banana treats tutorial and got an idea to make them into ghosts for a healthy-ish Halloween treat. They were super easy to make. Please note that the jelly beans especially when frozen can be a choking hazard , please take off and let thaw before serving it to a child.
- Gather your materials ( or rather ingredients). You will need bananas ( 3 medium cut in half), 3/4 lb of white chocolate chips, table spoon of butter, 6 popsicle sticks, microwavable bowl, baking dish and 12 black jelly beans. Also you will need wax paper for the dish, I was out and my baby was sleeping so I used non stick spray and it worked but wax paper would be better.
- Start by cutting the bananas in 2 .
- Push a popsicle stick into the bananas.
- Pour your chips into a microwavable bowl, add the butter and melt. What worked for me was to do 30 seconds, stir, 30 seconds, stir, 20 seconds and stir. Watch it carefully it burns easily.
- Dip and cover the bananas with the white chocolate.
- Place in the pan ( on wax paper or non stick spray), and add the jelly beans for eyes.
- Freeze .2 hours was perfect for us, bananas weren’t rock hard.
- Serve. Don’t forget about the jelly beans, pop them off and let thaw before eating.
Sometimes when I make a craft I get inspired but I am not sure where from. I made this ghost craft and couldn’t remember where the inspiration came from until I was reading I Can Teach My Child and remembered this project. You can see the similarities! So yes my inspiration comes from all over . This is a parent and tot craft , there are many steps that are tricky for little ones. But my son loves the final product, he runs into the foyer looks at the ghosts and screams ” I am frightened, ahhh!” then burst out in giggles daily. So I would say it’s a hit. I will be packing these up and taking them out every year with my Easy Halloween Wreath .
- Gather your materials. You will need clear contact paper, black construction paper, white tissue paper or party streamers ( or any white paper) , Scissors ( kid and adult), and black sticky back foam.
- Start by drawing a ghost and cutting out many frames. I used the insides for fun fast activities and let my son color them with chalk .
- Have your child cut the tissue paper – if you use a streamer I find it’s easier for beginning cutters to handle and cut independently. Tissue paper is flimsy. My son still only cut a few – another tip, make sure kid scissors are clean ours had something sticky on them and weren’t cutting well, by the time I cleaned them he was over it. Learn from my oops.
- Place the frames on the contact paper so the sticky side is up.
- Add the paper into the frames.
- While they do that make eyes out of sticky back foam.
- Cover with another piece of contact paper, press firmly.
- Cut the ghosts out.
- Add the eyes
- Pop on a mirror, window, door… wherever you need a few adorable ghosts!
Halloween Books
Dem Bones 
Monster Math
Big Pumpkin 
I love the simplicity of this Halloween Craft. Many parents comment that they could never do a craft with treats without their child loosing focus and eating up the whole bowl. I have done many of these kids activities over the years with my son and other children and never had that problem. The tick is that you have to allow some to be eaten but make deals. With my son he had to put 10, then 15, then 20 marshmallows on the ghost before he was allowed to eat just one single marshmallow. When the ghost was completed he had another. 4 in total, not bad. If you simply can not use treats try cotton balls or packing peanuts instead. Another bonus is that your child is using fine motor skills the whole time, something essential to literacy!
- Gather your materials. You will need some glue, mini marshmallows, and black construction paper.
- Start by making an outline of a ghost in glue on your paper. I tried, no begged my son to do this step but he didn’t want to. He wants things to be perfect and well – we are working on doing things himself and not needing things to be so particular. I’ll keep you posted!
- Next start adding the mini marshmallows. I love the system we use with a treat after counting, because he loves to count and has fun doing it. Even if you are using a non edible item give your child numbers to use as mini goals when adding on items like this. You can even make predictions about how many it will take to complete the ghost.
- Add glue for the eyes. I was pleased when he wanted to do this, and even more so when he added 3 eyes !
- Add the marshmallows , three if you want!
- Let dry. The marshmallows will dry but not mold.
Halloween Books
The Perfectly Horrible Halloween 
10 Trick-or-Treaters
Mouse’s First Halloween 
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Puffy Paint Ghost
This is not a neat craft, have wet paper towels ready- put on an old shirt and have fun. We have made this puffy paint a few times and I absolutely adore how it dries. It really dries puffy- although it takes a while to dry fully so put it somewhere high until it’s done. I love doing art with this because it combines crafting with a great sensory experience. The glue and shaving cream make a really great squishy texture, just be warned, it flings really really easily, I found some all the way across the room this afternoon!
- Gather your materials. You will need some shaving cream , white glue, some black paper, googly eyes, and a paper grocery bag or other large thick paper.
- Start by drawing an outline of ghost on the paper bag. Set aside.
- Mix together 3/4 cup of shaving cream with 1/4 cup of white glue.
- Explore!
- Add your gloopy mix to the paper ghost!
- Explore some more.
- While your child is exploring cut out a mouth, we did a zig zag per my son’s request, make any kind of mouth you want!
- Add the mouth right on top
- Add the googly eyes.
- Let dry , depending on how thick your puffy paint is it may take hours.
- Cut out when dry!
For more check out my FamilyEducation.com blog. All week long we are doing ghost crafts!
Books
A Halloween Happening
Wobble, the witch cat
There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Bat!
